Charles Lee Powell Foundation

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About The Foundation

The Charles Lee Powell Foundation is a 501(c) (3) corporation that has, for over 40 years, supported science and engineering programs at four California universities: California Institute of Technology, Stanford University, University of California at San Diego, and University of Southern California.

The Foundation remains focused on funding impactful grants to the engineering programs at this limited number of recipient schools, and is not considering changing this list of grantee institutions.

The Foundation was established in 1954 by Charles Lee Powell (1863-1959), a self-taught engineer who invented and patented methods for building concrete structures underground. He is credited with building much of Los Angeles’ early infrastructure, including the Second and Third Street Tunnels, the Angels Flight funicular railway in the Bunker Hill district, and downtown sewerage systems.

The Foundation has given grants of more than $96 million over the course of its operation.